Making memories in music and athletics
NAME: Amber Laube
CLASS YEAR: 2022
HOMETOWN: Grundy Center
MAJORS: Spanish and sociology
CAMPUS INVOLVEMENt: Women’s tennis, Kantorei, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Dance Marathon, and Service Trips
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE WARTBURG: I really liked the feel of the campus. The size was amazing, and the people were great. I loved that I was able to participate in athletics and music while taking advantage of an awesome academic program and still have time to join in other extracurricular activities that Wartburg has, like clubs and organizations.
WHAT DREW YOU TO THE SPANISH PROGRAM: I’ve always wanted to study Spanish, and originally I just going to minor in it, because I didn’t think I’d have enough time to fit in a double major that included a term studying abroad. But the professors are really flexible and made it work for me.
AND SOCIOLOGY: As an incoming freshman I had a few credits already, so I was deciding between pre-med and criminology. In doing so, I took Biology I: Ecosystems, Cells, and Evolution and Introduction to Criminology and Criminal Justice during first semester. I learned that biology wasn’t right for me but that I absolutely loved my criminology class, as well as Dr. McQueen, my adviser for sociology.
HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED WITH KANTOREI: I knew I wanted to do the chapel choir right away when I came on the Music Scholarship Day. I tried out for my voice part, and I knew that I wanted to sing with tenors and basses, as well as sopranos and altos. Kantorei was the perfect fit for me. The time commitment in Kantorei is not quite as intense as the other mixed choirs, and we also get to sing in community churches which has been really awesome. I got to express my faith through that as well.
WHAT RESPONSIBILITIES COME WITH BEING THE KANTOREI PRESIDENT: I help Dr. Karen Black with whatever I can. I manage our council meetings and run that if people are gone. I adjust the Kantorei handbook every year just to make sure it’s applicable to that year and everything that’s going on. Due to COVID-19, we did have to adjust our rules. As president, I’m just trying to get everyone involved and make sure everyone has fun at rehearsal.
WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE WARTBURG COURSE: My favorite class for Spanish was by far Conversational Spanish. I took it last May Term. We were supposed to go to Costa Rica, but that was cancelled due to COVID-19. I was happy that Wartburg was able to get native speakers that could Zoom in with us and talk to us in Spanish while we were at home. That class was so awesome because it really furthered our skills, and it was so fun because the entire class was spent talking to people in Spanish. It was an opportunity to be immersed in the culture without leaving my home. Right now, Crime Law is my favorite criminology because I just love reading all the case laws, analyzing it, and applying everything that I’ve learned from the past three years. It’s opening my eyes to the possibility of going to law school after college.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE TENNIS MEMORY: My freshman season of tennis we broke many records. It was the first time in Wartburg women’s tennis history to beat Luther, first time to be undefeated, and first time to be conference champs. The day we beat Luther is a day I will never forget. The meet was tied 4-4 and came down to the last match which went into a tiebreaker, so it was pretty stressful.
HOW HAS WARTBURG HELPED YOU SUCCEED: The professors and faculty want the best for us all, and we perform at our best when we’re pushed too. I was encouraged to participate in all the opportunities Wartburg has to offer, and even though it wouldn’t be easy, Wartburg has taught me that it’s important to take advantage of your full potential. The Student Success Center helped so much with applying for internships, as well as professors and advisers helping me perfect everything I do because they truly care about my education. My advisers helped me make sure I could be a Spanish major, I could do criminology, I could study abroad, and take a criminal criminology course in Chile. They’re always looking to see how I can get what I want out of my experience here, which is awesome.
WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS: It can be hard work, but it is going to be one of those degrees that you can do a lot with and whatever direction you would like to take it, we have professors who are knowledgeable about a lot of those professions, whether that’s entrepreneurship, management, marketing, or whatever it may be. At Wartburg, you’re going to be able to get a very well-rounded education that you can then take and mold into whatever you would like to do after college.
WHY IS WARTBURG WORTH IT: My friends. I’ve made friends through FCA, Dance Marathon, Kantorei, tennis, and my classes. I love being able to see everyone that I’ve met and make connections with around campus and knowing that we have something in common. I’m so glad I’ve gotten to meet so many amazing people at Wartburg.